The Mad King eBook

At the sound of their approach the men sprang to their
feet in alarm, and as many weapons as there were men
leaped to view; but when they saw Barney’s companions
they returned their pistols to their holsters, and
at sight of Barney they pressed forward to inspect
the prisoner.

“Who have we here?” shouted a big blond
giant, who affected extremely gaudy colors in his
selection of wearing apparel, and whose pistols and
knife had their grips heavily ornamented with pearl
and silver.

“A stranger in Lutha he calls himself,”
replied one of Barney’s captors. “But
from the sword I take it he is one of old Peter’s
wolfhounds.”

“Well, he’s found the wolves at any rate,”
replied the giant, with a wide grin at his witticism.
“And if Yellow Franz is the particular wolf
you’re after, my friend, why here I am,”
he concluded, addressing the American with a leer.

“I’m after no one,” replied Barney.
“I tell you I’m a stranger, and I lost
my way in your infernal mountains. All I wish
is to be set upon the right road to Tann, and if you
will do that for me you shall be well paid for your
trouble.”

The giant, Yellow Franz, had come quite close to Barney
and was inspecting him with an expression of considerable
interest. Presently he drew a soiled and much-folded
paper from his breast. Upon one side was a printed
notice, and at the corners bits were torn away as
though the paper had once been tacked upon wood, and
then torn down without removing the tacks.

At sight of it Barney’s heart sank. The
look of the thing was all too familiar. Before
the yellow one had commenced to read aloud from it
Barney had repeated to himself the words he knew were
coming.

“‘Gray eyes,’” read the brigand,
“’brown hair, and a full, reddish-brown
beard.’ Herman and Friedrich, my dear children,
you have stumbled upon the richest haul in all Lutha.
Down upon your marrow-bones, you swine, and rub your
low-born noses in the dirt before your king.”

The others looked their surprise.

“The king?” one cried.

“Behold!” cried Yellow Franz. “Leopold
of Lutha!”

He waved a ham-like hand toward Barney.

Among the rough men was a young smooth-faced boy,
and now with wide eyes he pressed forward to get a
nearer view of the wonderful person of a king.

“Take a good look at him, Rudolph,” cried
Yellow Franz. “It is the first and will
probably be the last time you will ever see a king.
Kings seldom visit the court of their fellow monarch,
Yellow Franz of the Black Mountains.

“Come, my children, remove his majesty’s
sword, lest he fall and stick himself upon it, and
then prepare the royal chamber, seeing to it that
it be made so comfortable that Leopold will remain
with us a long time. Rudolph, fetch food and
water for his majesty, and see to it that the silver
plates and the golden goblets are well scoured and
polished up.”